"His struggle against apartheid was supported in New Zealand through a mass protest movement that opposed sporting contact between our countries, culminating in major protest events in 1981," she said, referring to the Springbok Tour protests.

Reuters

She said he later referred to news of the protests being "like the sun coming out".

"Mandela was a living embodiment of the United Nations' values. It is these values and Mandela's moral example that we must look to promote in a world that is more fragmented and fractured than ever before. It's an example that calls for justice, peace and forgiveness," she said.

"Above all else, Madiba [Mandela's clan name] taught us that no issue in the world, whether it be racial inequity or indifference is insurmountable. That none of us are too small, or too far away to be relevant in the collective struggle for justice. As we remember Madiba, my hope is that we all give reason for the sun to come out."